ARMS SALE : Sonia Gandhi - ManmohanSingh : Russia - USA
The Communist refusal to attend the UPA Coordination Committee meet and the threat to withdraw support over disinvestment is a red herring. The real issue is Manmohan Singhs upcoming visit to the U.S. and the possibility greater Indo-U.S. cooperation in defense including massive arms deals.
The Left wants to scuttle this at any cost.
After 15 years in the wilderness following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communists of various hues are sensing an opportunity get some more out of Russia, especially in the arms deals. This should be seen in conjunction with Sonia Gandhi’s visit to Russia just when India went shopping to Paris in the Paris Air Show.
The U.S. is likely to press India to buy F16s offering highly advantageous deals, but the Russians, who have a hold on Sonia through their former KGB contacts will try to pressure the UPA government thorugh Sonia. The Communists sense an opening for themselves here to position themselves as middle men in the mutli-billion dollar deals.
The KGB didn’t gave Sonia $2 billion in a spirit of charity. If we go by the usual arms deals of 5% to 10% commission, the Russians are looking for $20 billion to $40 billion in arms sales from India.
Manmohan’s response to the Left’s threat is interesting: he has said that Sonia will address the Left’s concerns. Could this be a way of isolating Sonia, by putting her on the spot?